Air-brake-control mechanism



- July 24, 1928.

' w. 1 cooP ET AL AIR BRAKE -CONTROL MEGHANISM Filed Deo. 8, 1926 X lNVENTORS a1 ATTRN EY Patented July 24, 192s, i

' yvifILmAivi-Ii. Goor ANDk CHARLES B; smoNn, oIvDEf'rnoI-I; MICHIGAN," AssIoNOlnsv To coNTINUoUs TRAIN ooNrnoL ooIiIoItAfrIoN, oF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORA-y TION or MICHIGAN.

Appliea'tiovn4 med December s, 192e serial No. 153,258.

This invention relates, to .ineansfor autynistically `disclmrging the pressure lin trein pipes of railway rolling stock equipped with air-brakes ofk the v liVestinghouse type,

and its object is'` to provide on air-brake controldeyice which will cause theescapeof a wherein electro-magnetic flux along)y the track rails is respondedto by proper electric instrumentzilities on` `the locomotive or other `controlled .vehicle to open` and close an elec-y tric circuit between a` current source anden electrojneulnatic Valve, which vWhen ener# v a. y v

gloed, preventsthe escape of train-pipe pressure, such electric installltionnlso einbodyingg" s orestalhng key :1nd annuznhziry circuit between said current source and valve yudaptedto he. closedfby suchkey vso that the `person in charge `ot the locomotive may establish `such auzriliaryvcircuit and rpreyent the reduction of the train-pipe pressure and i the application. of the brakes.

rllbeprcsent invention consists in a control .vulve governed by :in electro-pneuninlic- 'elve und en electro-pneinnatic` switch adopted to be opened by the. air escaping'` r'troni the trein piper u predetermined lengthV oit' time fitter ltheielectro#Dlfeunia'ticU'valve dei-energized and the 'control valve assumes its train-tipe pressure releasing position.

tnlso consists in the details of oonstruction illustrated in thenccoinpanying drawinn' sind. particularly pointed out `in the.

claims. Y y y y The present invention iselnbodied In the cf'mlbiimtion oi the eleotro-pneumatic valve `me attachments thereto. The drawing shows the sev :al pertsin the nornial inop K y 'erutive positions occiipiedwhen the train-is runningon clear track. The electro-pneumatic valve 90. vofgWell known construction and commonly known jas on Valve is .adopted `to cause reduction of the sir pressure within the `rcontrol valve* v89 of the` brake system and Within the easing designated to constitute a port of at` train control system' 11S ,Whichlfertends through n valve-stem 98. y Thisstein 11S cai AIR-BRAKE-CQNTROL :ii/InoHANIsM.- f

energized, the engineer swingsthehnidle' oity `his trein yalve to perniitfeirto fill the breil-ge pipe 9G land thus re'loese the brakes'` This causes o slow,r` eceuniulzition ofpressure;

` Within the?` chamber ySi' and along,4 the kNetlife [stein 88 and rthroukejh the'` passagev 99 into the topo-f the'cylinder 100 aboyefthe piston 101.` Goinpressednir also flows through the .n i/fliejn' o trein is tol be lnovedunoler clezir condit1on`s,ntWlnch'tnne the l?. valve is` dof, this "yalye is e nignet yotlepted 'toldrziwdownits armature from li'irhichd a stem" 9234k extends down to the valve 94,

puis'szigige .102 yintojt-he` storhge-,chnrnber 103.1n

Vthis passage beingfproiidedivith fit/calibrated portion y10%v ato prevent the ailjtromV `too rapidly" rushine;V `into this chamber 1,03 Whicl'l i el lock; Aoil "pressure 'above piston A101.;

` This hreke pressure yWithin the "main `reservoirV f (not ishown) toivhichafpipe 106 Qconnects. `Air `from t the .inei'n reservoir flows* into the cylin- Y der 107throughthispip i I i 108(whichis'clibrted to lirnit this 'flowiv le-.i`1.f The piston 109` in. fthe cylinder 107 f -niountedlonthevzilye stem 9S Whichcerries sT smaller"pistony 11() ,andthe yzilve `^111;

Steins 112 and 113 are, inalinenient Withthe pipe pressure is less fthe i stein) 98 fand/the former, carries `Valve llel` lWhile the `latter corrie-s Velvel-l. Pressure rointhe spring1`1'6 tends `to nieve theselast namelstems toward the` piston 110, but so lons; as. Iminreservoir; pressure remains in vcylinder `1(l7,fthese last nmed Valves are held in the; positions shownkin the drawing.

The `piston '101. is attached to :L valve `stem Withanyidesired purhberhnd type of openings 12llwand the lvoiyerjend of. the stemlQ which connects tojthepiston: 122 is attached,

to theswitchniemberf wh @connects the f Wiresffland 7 3 Whenin the" position shown i n piston 12257`nornmlly`.heldfupyvard by the spring 123;@'1`lhis cylinder :is vfor-,med4A ber 196 lifts the valve 94 and permits air -to tloiv from the cylinder' 107 tl rough passage 5 127' into chamber 128 and through passage 129 controlled byv valve 130'to`the pipe 131 and whistle 132 which sounds to indicate Should this y tliat'tliis' valve is ele-energized. pipe be, yblocked ,lor: fany l reason,v the safety lo valve 133 ivill open and the escape of air therethrough will rhavethe same eiieet-upon vthe control valve. R y A g z Normally, the pressure in' the cylinder 107 is that ot the mainair reservoir and in the i5 c'liainberi97 that ofthe train pipe, which is lower ythan that in the7 cylinder 5 107 The piston 109v-bein`g the larger, it vwill benormalv1v held inthe position shown. VVh'en the E. 1?., valveis cle-energized andair flows yfrom 2U the ycylinder 107, the greater ypressure in the '"chai'nl'ier97 forces the piston 109 and 110 to theA rightgiii ythe drawing, moving` the valve 111 to 'itsseat andthereby cutting` otlfthe vcoi'inection betiv'een the train pipe and the 25. cylinder f 100 and the reservoir The spring'116 presses the `valve*115`oiigits seatr closing the passagebetween the reservoir 135 and' the ratmosphere which is normally open f y to admitair under pressure to the train pipe o by ivay'ot passage `13tv` cliainb'er=137along valve stein y113 and aperture 138. At the sainetinie, thespring 1161moves the valvev `111tromitslseat and permits air to flow trom reservoir 10?) through calibrated opening 139 intochainber 135.' l t alsoperinits air' to' flow from cylinder 100y to flow through passage '99, along vstem 112` and through passagey 1`3G`to reservoirf135. The. reservoir v108 is ot such size i0` that the air therein, mixedxviththe air from y cylinder 100, requires airappi'eciable length ot time f'totlou" through opei'iing,` 139 and ,therefore sloivsup the openingfoii valve 119.

e rillliecalibrated openii'igs 101k and "139 Yare of e' rsuch 'capacity thattheA reduction otv the preslsure in thecylinder 100 above tliepiston 101 will require a predetermined time interval ybetoi'e the pressure below this piston lifts the pistonanr'l the valve v'119 connectedthereto.

This time intervalis provic ed to permit the all; Pfvalve to be' re-"ene l application ot the brakes, as Will be explained later on. Should the E513." valve remaindeenergized beyondtliis predetermined time'intervahgthe pistou 101 and valve 119 vwill litt,`

'and'thetrain pipefair iv'ill rush through pipe 96 'andpassage 120 onto pistoni 122 in cylin- Qder 121,"orcingdown this piston below' the holes`124, which will permit thetree dis oor charge ot the rtrain line air. lhen' this pis- .toii is forced doivii, the switch 7 2 is'opened,

e andivith itthe circuitot yvires 71 and 73.

12a y Will always bei. greaterlthan "fthe rate at through passage 102,k alongstem '112, chamber 187, passage 130and4 Zed lto Jforestall the.

through the usual automatic brake valve so that tlie'pressure in the train Apipe Will al- `ways be reduced to apply the brakes.v This rate of reduction is controlled by the rate of reductionot pressureabove the piston 101 T0 and that in turn is controlled by the calibrated air valve 141 Which allows air to escape from the reservoir-135 at a predetermined rate. ,e A.

"The pressure in ,the chai'nbcr 97 and on the piston. is therefore gradually vreduced until the pressure Within the cylinder 107 on "thelargerpiston v109 isV sufficiently greater lto move these pistons yand the valves to normal position'. 'I The pressure lin cylinder 107 S0 isfderived from the pipe10t ivherein'it is underhigh pressure, and the amount which passes'through the,restricted-passage 108 is vequal to the amount which can flow through valve 1il0-at the reduced*pressure,and this pressure ivill therefore be fairlyk constant a'lter valve 941 is lifted` from itsseat. f

The pistons 109 and 110and valves 111 and 114: are moved to normal .position to stop the reduction ot pressure above the piston 101 as 00 .soon asA ay partial and sufiicientreduct-'ion of` train pipe pressure 'has been made. But should the automatic bralrevalve be opened in order to release-fthe brakes, or to feed the 95 train pipeas this is termed, any increase in train'pige pressure from such admission Will clause lthe pistons v109and 110 to move to the l right, inthe drawing and the action of these A parts as above described ivill'be repeated. 100

1 r1`he reduced pressure in the train pipe cannotk Atherefore be` augmented to release the ybrakes until the? E. P .valve is again' energized. f I

The action ot-thiscontrol valve is to cause m5 lbut delay thelii'ftingl of the valve 119 and V,takes trom 7 lto 10V seconds, depending' upon the size ot .the ofieninp; 139. It however,

f jluringsuch.time the auxiliary circuit to the 115 1G. l). valve is closed be-torc this tune has elapsed, the re-enorgized 1). valve will stop the lescape ot air trom the cylinder 107 and -the 'pressure' therein will immediately n buildup and move' the parts to the posi- 120 tions shown, 'the pressure ywhich has been built up in tlie chamber 187 slowly escaping Vthrough"the small valve 1411;v But should this auxiliary circuit Vnot be closed until the valve 119 opens, train-pipe-pressure will be x25`r released and the parts remain in pressure relensing` position uirtilthel.` valve is reenergized by current received overtlie regular circuit, f y A Thelfdetails' of ccnstruction and rthefpro- 130 `the pressure therein will normally be equal tothat in said chamber, said Valve body being 'formed with a pair of cylinders, pistons therein and astem connecting them, a valve on said steml controlling,- said passages, a pipe connecting one of lsaid last named cylinders to source of air under high pressure the other cylinder' connecting to said chamber, and an electro-pneumatic valve preventing when energized the escape of said high pressure air, but when cle-energized, permitting the escape et said pressure to allow the pressure in said chamber to move saidiconnected pistons andthe valve connected thereto to permitfthe discharge ofthe pressure from the first named cylinder and the discharge of said train-pipe pressure.`

2. A brake control mechanism comprisinpy a control-valve body embodying a chamber,

- a train-pipe connected thereto, Valve to i permit the escape'of air from said chamber,

a pi-stonconnected to said valve and a cylinvder for said piston, said yvalvebody being formed With passages connectingthe chamber to the outer end of said cylinder so that the pressure therein Will normally be equal to that in said chamber, said valve body being formed with a pair of cylinders, pistonstherein and a stemconnecting them, a valve on said stem controllingv said passages, a pipe connectingone oil said last named cylinders to a source of air underhigh pressure the other cylinder connecting to said chamber, and an electro pneumatic valve prevent-` ing when energized the escape of `said high pressure air, but when(le-energized, permitting the escape of said pressure to allow the pressure in said chamber to move said connected pistons and the Valve connected therete to permit the discharge of the pressure from the ltirst named cylinder and the dis-V charge of said train-pipe pressure, and means restrictmgv the escape or air above said iirst lnamed `piston so the movementolf the valve kconnected thereto may bedelayed a predetermined period of time. K

3. In a brake control mechanism, the combination with the train-pipe anda pipe connectingdto a main storage reservoir oiian` air brake system, of ay control valve body embodying: two cylinders and pistons therein and a stem connecting them, one or said cylinders being normally under train-pipe pressure and the second under main reservoir pressure, said pressures exerting opposing forces, a relier valve to permit the discharge of train-pipe pressure, means normally under train-pipe pressure to hold said valve on its seat, a normally energized'electro-magnetic valve adapted when deenergized 4to release the pressure on said second piston to permit train-pipe pressure tomove said pistons, and means actuatedby said Apistons to `permit the release of said relief` valve and the di charge of ytrain-pipe pressure when said pistons are thu-s moved.y ,Y c

t. In an air brake controllingapparatus of the character described, `the combination of the train-pipe a normally energized electro-pneumatic valve, an automatic control vvalve .movable by train-pipe `pressure for producing apredetermined reduction in train-pipe pressure when said electro-pneumatic valve is deenergized and for returning` 'to normalposition after such reduction, andv of means responding to an increase-in train-pipe pressure to again cause the control valve to function it such train-pipe pressure is increased Whilesaid electro-pneumatic valve is nie-energized, the amountof said reduction of train-pipe pressure hemp controlled by the diiierence in area of two air passages, one leading to said control Valve and the other leading therefrom to saidveleetro-pneumatic valve. 1 ,c

5. In a brake contr-,ol mechanism of the character described, the combination with the train-pipe, a normally energized electropneumatic Valve, a control valve' governed thereby, i automatic means embodying; said two Valves for causing,- the reduction of pressure in said train-pipe when said electropneun'iatic Valve is (ie-energized, an electric switch, and means respondingrto the discharge of air fronrsaid train-pipe to open said switch.. i

6. In a brake control inechan'isngi of; the charac-ten described, the `combinatitm with the train-pipe, a normally energized electro- ]meumatic valve, a control 'valve governed thereby, automatic means embodying said two Valves for causing,r the reduction of pressure in said t'ain-pipe when said electropneumatie valve is cle-energized, an electric switcli,and means responding tothe discharge of air lrom said train-pipe to open said switch and means `for delaying the, reduction of said train-pipepressure by said automatic means a predetermined period i after the electro-pneumatie'valve is de--energized.

7. In a brake character described, `the combination with the train-pipe, a normally energized electropneumatic valre, a control i valve goyerned thereby, automatic means embodying said two valves for causing the reduction of' pres- I UD a Les' sure in said train-pipe when said electro- `pneumatic valve is 'de-energized, an electric switch, andmeans responding to theI discharge of air from said train-pipe to open said switch and means for' delaying the reduction of said train-pipe pressure by said automatic means a. predetermined rperiod Vafter the electro-pneumatic valve is de-energized, comprising a reservoir wherein air is stored under train-pipe pressure and a second reservoir connected to the atmosphere by a restricted passage into which second chamber'the first chamber discharges.

8. In a brake control mechanism, thecombinati'on With the t-rain-pipe and a. pipe connecting to a main storage reservoir of an air brake system, of a control valve body enibodying tivo cylinders and pistons ytherein and a stem connecting them, one of said cylinders being normally under train-pipe pressure and the second under main lreservoir pressure said pressures exerting opposing forces, a relief valve to permit thedischarge of train-pipe pressure, means normally under traiii-pipe pressure to hold said valve on its seat, a normally energized electro-magnetic valve adapted When cle-energized to release the pressure onsaid second piston to permit train-pipe pressure to move said pistons, means actuated by said pistons to permit the release of said relief valve and the'discharge of tiain-pipe pressure when said pistons are thus moved and a Whistle adaptedto be sounded by the air released by said electropneumatic valve.

9. In a brake control mechanism, the combination with the train-pipe and a pipe connecting` to a main storage reservoir of an air brake system, of a control valve body embodying t\vo cylinders and pistons therein and al stem connecting` them., one of said cylinders being normally under train-pipe pressure and the seco-nd under main reservoir pressure, said pressures exerting opposing forces, a ielief valve to permit the dischargeof train-pipe pressure, means normally under train-pipe pressure to hold said valve onits sea-t, a normally energized electromagnetic valve adapted when cle-energized to release the pressure on said second piston to' permit train-pipe pressure to move said pistons, means actuated by said pistons to perinit'the release of said relief valve and the discharge of train-pipe pressure when said pistons are thus moved, the sizes of the connected pistons and of the discharge passages from said second cylinder being such that there- 4 lief valve Will be closed When the train-pipe predetermined air brake system, of a control valvel body ,ice

embodying tivo cylinders of different diameters, yconnected pistons in said cylinders and astem connecting them, the smaller piston being under train-pipe pressurer andthe larger piston under main reservoir pressure, said pressures acting oppositely; a relief valve to permit the discharge of train-pipe pressure, a valve connected to said pistons lto normally cause the relief valve to remain closed, and' a normally energizedwelectromagnetic valve and passages controlled thereby, which, when .said electro-magnetic valve is cle-energized, permit a partial reduction of pressure on said larger cylinder and permit the pistons to be moved by trainpipe pressure to cause the `opening of the re.

lief valve said reduced aressureL on the larger valve causing a return/movement of the pistons -Wlien train-pipe pressure has been reduced 'a'predetermined degree.

Il. In Aa brake control mechanism, the

combination with the rtrain-pipev and a pipe.

connecting to a ymain storage reservoir ofan air brake system, of a control valve body embodying tivo cylinders of different diameters, connected pistons in said cylinders and a stem connecting them, .the smallerpiston and permit the ypistons to be moved by trainpipe pressure to cause the opening of the re lief valve, said reduced pressure on the larger valve causing ak return movement of the pistons when train-pipe pressure has been reduced a predetermined degree andv means to delay the opening of the relief valve a predetermined -time after the connected ypistons are moved by such train-.line

pressure. v

l2. In a brake control mechanism, the combination with the train-pipe and a pipe 'connecting to a main storagereservoir of an air brake system, of a control valvejbody embodying two cylinders of different diameters, connected pistons in said cylinders and a stein connecting them, the smaller piston being under train-pipe pressure and -the larger piston under main reservoir pressure, said pressures acting oppositely, a relief valve to permit the discharge of train-pipe pressure, a valve connected to said pistons to normally cause the reliefvalve to remain jclosed/ and a normally energized electromagnetic lvalve andv passages controlled thereby, i which, when said electro-magnetic valve is de-energized, permit a partial rebeen reduced apredetermined degree and an duction of pressure on said larger Cylinder electro-pneumatic switch adapted to be and permit the pistons to be moved by opened by the force of the escaping train- 10 train-pipe pressure to eiiuse the opening of` pipe pressure when said relief Valve is the relief Valve, Vsaid lreduced pressure on opened. `the larger valve causing a. return movement i VILLIAM L. COOP. of the pistons when train-pipe pressure has CHARLES B. STONE. 

